Folding screen



(No Model.)-

2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

H. O. TRIPP.

FOLDING SCREEN.

Patented Dec. 14, 1886.

INVENTOR 4 BY (AM/.44.

WITNESSES:

ATTORNEYS {No Model.) 2 SheetsShet 2. H. G. TRIPP.

FOLDING SCREEN.

No. 354,450. Patented Dec. 14, 1886.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY C. TRIPP, OF AUBURN, NE\V YORK.

FOLDING SCREEN.

SPECIFICATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 354,450. dated December 14, 1836.

Application filed May 6, 1856.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY C. TRIPP, ofAuburn, in the county of Cayuga, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Int, provements in Folding Screens, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention consists in a novel construction of a screen which is capable of automatically folding into a neat and compact manner and adapted to be readily distended andplaced in position for use, all as hereinafter'more fully described, and specifically set forth in the claims.

The invention is fully illustrated in the annexed drawings, wherein Figure 1 is an elevation of the screen in its distended position and with its supporting-standard shown in a vertical section to illustrate its detail construc tion and the devices connected to the interior thereof. Fig. 2 is an elevation showing the screen in its folded position. Figs. 3' and 4 are elevations and vertical sectional views of modifications of my invention, and Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of the parts shown in left-hand portion of Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

H represents the folding screen, which may be composed either of textile fabric or of any oth er suitable material adapted for the purpose.

A represents the supporting'st-andard of the screen, which standard is composed of a tube stepped in asocket in the top of the base A, or otherwise detachably connected therewith, and sustained in an upright position thereon.

To the top of the standard A is detachably connected a cap, F, to the under side of which is rigidly attached a pendent shaft or spindle, I), which is extended lengthwise the interior of the standard A. On the spindle b is journaled a sleeve, B, to the lower end of which is rigidly secured a nut, N, which turns onascrew, S, rigidly attached to the base A at the center of the standard A. The screen H is attached at one end to the side of the standard, and lengthwise the screen are extended cords G 0, running through rings or loops 7 1', attached at proper intervals to the screen. The cords are attached. at one of their ends to the free end of the screen, and their opposite ends pass Serial No. 201,275. (No model.)

through apertures in the side of the standard A and are attached to the sleeve B,upon which they are automatically wound, and thus held normally in a retracted position by the resilience of a spiral spring, I, coiled around the 'spi ndle b, and connected at one end to said spindle and at the opposite end to the sleeve. The cords O C may thus be said to be yieldingly connected with the standard A. The spring I is wound in such a direction as to cause it to become wound up and tightened by the revolution of the sleeve 13 incident to the draft of the cords G 0 when drawing the screenout to a distended position, as represented in Figs. 1 and 5 of the drawings, and when the said cords are relieved of the aforesaid draft they become wound upon the sleeve B, which is rotated by the resilience of the spring.

To retain the screen'in its distended position and support the free end thereof in an erect position, I attach to the free end thereof a supporting-bar, D, which may be connected by books or other suitable fastcnings to a wall or other suitable and convenient object, either detachably or permanently, as may be desired. To fold the screen, either the supporting-bar D is to be detached from the wall and allowed to be drawn toward the standard by the automatically-retracting cords GO or the standard A is to be moved to the wall to allow the retracting-cords to fold the screen. During the rotation of the sleeve B in winding up the cords O G the nut N travels upward on the screw S, and thereby raises the sleeve B, so as to cause the cords to wind spirally upon the sleeve, and thus prevent the cords from filling the sleeve.

The standard A may be divided longitudinally, and the spindle b and spring-actuated sleeve B and one end of the screen connected to one section of said standard and the opposite end of the screen connected to the other section, which serves the function of the supporting-bar D, as illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings. I do not, however, limit myself to the use of the described spring-actuated sleeve, inasmuch as the cords G can be otherwise yieldingly connected with the standard and held normally. contracted thereat. An exemplification of such modification is illustrated i n Fig. 4 of the drawings, in which a single cord, 0, is connected to the upper. portion of the screen H and made to run over a sheave, c, at the upper part of the inside of the standard A, and around a weighted traveling sheave, c, in the lower part of the standard, and then extended to the upper part of the standard and firmly secured thereat, the weighted sheave c serving to draw in the cord 0, and thus automatically fold the screen.

Having described my invention,what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of a standard, a folding screen connected at one end to said standard, a cord or cords attached at one end to the free end of said screen, and yieldingly connected at the opposite end to the standard and held normally retracted thereat, and a bar on the free end of the screen for supporting the same in an erect position, as set forth.

2. The combination of the tubular standard A, the sp ringactuated sleeve B, pivoted in said standard, the folding screen H, connected at one end to the standard, and the cords G 0, connected at opposite ends to the free end of the screen and to the sleeve B, substantially as described and shown.

3. The combination of the tubular standard A, the screw S in said standard, the pivoted spring-actuated sleeve B, provided with the nut N, turning on said screw, the folding screen H, connected at one end to the standard, and the cords G 0, connected at opposite ends to 5. In combination with the screen H and cords O G, the base A, tubular standard A, mounted on said base, the screw S, fixed to the base in the center of the standard, the cap F, spindle 12, attached to said cap, the sleeve B, jon'rnaled on said spindle and having the cords G 0 connected to it, the nut N, attached to the sleeve and turning on the screw S, and the spring I, attached at opposite ends, respect ively, to the spindle Z) and sleeve B, substantially as specified and shown.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name and affixed my seal, in the presence of two attesting witnesses, at Auburn, in the county of Cayuga, in the State of New York, this 1st day of May, 1886.

HENRY G. TRIPP. [L s] Witnesses:

LYMAN E. WARREN, (JASPER FENNER. 

